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Person.
On June 8, 1949, George Orwell's classic dystopian novel, 1984, was published.
George Orwell was born Eric Arthur Blair (1993-1950) in India, but he was raised and educated in England. His parents were unable to provide a university education, so he took the exam to join the Imperial Police, and he served in Burma. His father had been an opium agent in India, overseeing the production and storage of opium for sale to China. His mother was raised in Burma, where her French father was a speculator.
After a few years in Burma, Orwell contracted dengue fever and returned to England where he reevaluated his life. He decided to become a writer. His first published works were based on his experiences in Burma. He supported himself by teaching.
He fought and was wounded in the Spanish Civil War, on the Republican side. During WWII, he was a BBC radio correspondent, and he wrote for British newspapers
1984 was written on the Scottish Island of Jura in 1947 and 1948, while he was seriously ill with tuberculosis. His original title was The Last Man in Europe. While the conventional story of the title change holds that he reversed 48 to 84 for the title, there is no documentary evidence that explains why 1984 was the chosen title.
On June 8, 1949, George Orwell's classic dystopian novel, 1984, was published.
George Orwell was born Eric Arthur Blair (1993-1950) in India, but he was raised and educated in England. His parents were unable to provide a university education, so he took the exam to join the Imperial Police, and he served in Burma. His father had been an opium agent in India, overseeing the production and storage of opium for sale to China. His mother was raised in Burma, where her French father was a speculator.
After a few years in Burma, Orwell contracted dengue fever and returned to England where he reevaluated his life. He decided to become a writer. His first published works were based on his experiences in Burma. He supported himself by teaching.
He fought and was wounded in the Spanish Civil War, on the Republican side. During WWII, he was a BBC radio correspondent, and he wrote for British newspapers
1984 was written on the Scottish Island of Jura in 1947 and 1948, while he was seriously ill with tuberculosis. His original title was The Last Man in Europe. While the conventional story of the title change holds that he reversed 48 to 84 for the title, there is no documentary evidence that explains why 1984 was the chosen title.
Place.
George Orwell was inspired to create the physical world of 1984 following the divisions of the world proposed by the Big Three Allies in meetings at Tehran, Yalta, and Potsdam
In Orwell's world, a nuclear war followed the Second World War in the 1950s, destroying much of the world. Consequently, the US absorbed the British Commonwealth and Latin America, resulting in Oceania. Eurasia was formed when the Soviet Union conquered Mainland Europe, stretching from Portugal to the Bering Strait. Eastasia included the Asian lands conquered by China and Japan.
On June 8, 1949, George Orwell's classic dystopian novel, 1984, was published.
George Orwell was inspired to create the physical world of 1984 following the divisions of the world proposed by the Big Three Allies in meetings at Tehran, Yalta, and Potsdam
In Orwell's world, a nuclear war followed the Second World War in the 1950s, destroying much of the world. Consequently, the US absorbed the British Commonwealth and Latin America, resulting in Oceania. Eurasia was formed when the Soviet Union conquered Mainland Europe, stretching from Portugal to the Bering Strait. Eastasia included the Asian lands conquered by China and Japan.
On June 8, 1949, George Orwell's classic dystopian novel, 1984, was published.
Things.
In Orwell's Oceania, there are four pyramids, each housing one of the four government ministries, each ministry run by nameless and faceless bureaucrats, and each ministry named in "doublethink" - the opposite of their true function.
The Ministry of Peace supports and directs Oceania's perpetual war with the other two powers.
The Ministry of Plenty rations and controls production of food and goods.
The Ministry of Truth controls all information and "rectifies" historical events so that they corroborate Big Brother's pronouncements.
The Ministry of Love identifies, monitors, arrests, and converts any perceived dissidents.
In Orwell's Oceania, there are four pyramids, each housing one of the four government ministries, each ministry run by nameless and faceless bureaucrats, and each ministry named in "doublethink" - the opposite of their true function.
The Ministry of Peace supports and directs Oceania's perpetual war with the other two powers.
The Ministry of Plenty rations and controls production of food and goods.
The Ministry of Truth controls all information and "rectifies" historical events so that they corroborate Big Brother's pronouncements.
The Ministry of Love identifies, monitors, arrests, and converts any perceived dissidents.
Person.
June 9 is a big day in Georgia history, so I pulled out a couple of books from my small vintage book collection: An Elementary History of Georgia by R.P. Brooks (1918) and Georgia: A Pageant of Years, published for Georgia's bicentennial in 1933.
On June 9, 1732, a Royal charter to establish the colony of Georgia was awarded to James Oglethorpe. Oglethorpe ( 1696-1785) was born to a prominent English family and had a brief military career, serving in the Austro-Turkish War. Back home in 1722, he was elected to the House of Commons, where he was appointed chair of the Gaols ( Jails) committee investigating debtors prisons. This work inspired him to propose the founding of another colony in North America, with two purposes, providing a protective barrier between the Spanish in Florida and the really valuable colony of South Carolina and, Oglethorpe hoped, providing a refuge for English debtors, allowing them to begin new lives. He sailed for Georgia in November.
While Oglethorpe did defend South Carolina from Spanish attack, his other hopes for Georgia were thwarted. No more than a dozen debtors ever came to the colony. His bans against slavery and alcohol failed. The rule against alcohol was flouted from day one. Georgians demanded the right to own slaves as they envied their Carolina neighbors. Plans to make Georgia a producer of silk and a variety of other foods failed. Many Georgia settlers left for South Carolina, the Caribbean, or home to England. In 1752, the king revoked the charter, and Georgia became a royal colony.
June 9 is a big day in Georgia history, so I pulled out a couple of books from my small vintage book collection: An Elementary History of Georgia by R.P. Brooks (1918) and Georgia: A Pageant of Years, published for Georgia's bicentennial in 1933.
On June 9, 1732, a Royal charter to establish the colony of Georgia was awarded to James Oglethorpe. Oglethorpe ( 1696-1785) was born to a prominent English family and had a brief military career, serving in the Austro-Turkish War. Back home in 1722, he was elected to the House of Commons, where he was appointed chair of the Gaols ( Jails) committee investigating debtors prisons. This work inspired him to propose the founding of another colony in North America, with two purposes, providing a protective barrier between the Spanish in Florida and the really valuable colony of South Carolina and, Oglethorpe hoped, providing a refuge for English debtors, allowing them to begin new lives. He sailed for Georgia in November.
While Oglethorpe did defend South Carolina from Spanish attack, his other hopes for Georgia were thwarted. No more than a dozen debtors ever came to the colony. His bans against slavery and alcohol failed. The rule against alcohol was flouted from day one. Georgians demanded the right to own slaves as they envied their Carolina neighbors. Plans to make Georgia a producer of silk and a variety of other foods failed. Many Georgia settlers left for South Carolina, the Caribbean, or home to England. In 1752, the king revoked the charter, and Georgia became a royal colony.
Place.
June 9 is a big day in Georgia history on a couple of counts, so I pulled out a couple of books from my small vintage book collection: An Elementary History of Georgia by R.P. Brooks (1918) and Georgia: A Pageant of Years, published for Georgia's bicentennial in 1933.
On July 7, 1742, the Spanish made their only attempt to invade Georgia during the War of Jenkin's Ear, two years after Oglethorpe's failed attempt to take St. Augustine. Florida governor Don Manuel de Montiano marched north with 4,500 to 5,000 troops. Oglethorpe's force consisted of less than 1,000 men including rangers, British regulars, and Indians, and they manned Fort Frederica.
June 9 is a big day in Georgia history on a couple of counts, so I pulled out a couple of books from my small vintage book collection: An Elementary History of Georgia by R.P. Brooks (1918) and Georgia: A Pageant of Years, published for Georgia's bicentennial in 1933.
On July 7, 1742, the Spanish made their only attempt to invade Georgia during the War of Jenkin's Ear, two years after Oglethorpe's failed attempt to take St. Augustine. Florida governor Don Manuel de Montiano marched north with 4,500 to 5,000 troops. Oglethorpe's force consisted of less than 1,000 men including rangers, British regulars, and Indians, and they manned Fort Frederica.
The Spanish marched into an ambush on the marshes of St. Simon's Island. Altogether, about 50 men, mostly Spanish, died, but the battle was named the Battle of Bloody Marsh. On July 13, the Spanish withdrew from the island and never invaded Georgia again.
Thing.
June 9 is a big day in Georgia history on a couple of counts, so I pulled out a couple of books from my small vintage book collection: An Elementary History of Georgia by R.P. Brooks (1918) and Georgia: A Pageant of Years, published for Georgia's bicentennial in 1933.
One of Oglethorpe's early actions was to create the Trustees Garden, an experimental garden designed to test various crops' suitability in Georgia.
Taken from the historical marker located on site,:
The garden consisted of ten acres. It was established by Oglethorpe within one month after the settlement of Georgia. Botanists were sent by the Trustees of the Colony from England to the West Indies and South America to procure plants for the garden. Vine cuttings, flax, hemp, potashes, indigo, cochineal, olives, and medicinal herbs were grown. The greatest hope was centered in the mulberry trees, essential to silk culture. In the early days of the Colony, Queen Caroline was clothed in Georgia silk, and the town’s largest structure was the filature.
The silk and wine industries failed to materialize. The distant sponsors were unable to judge of the immense importance of the experiments conducted in other products. In 1755 the site was developed as a residential section.
June 9 is a big day in Georgia history on a couple of counts, so I pulled out a couple of books from my small vintage book collection: An Elementary History of Georgia by R.P. Brooks (1918) and Georgia: A Pageant of Years, published for Georgia's bicentennial in 1933.
One of Oglethorpe's early actions was to create the Trustees Garden, an experimental garden designed to test various crops' suitability in Georgia.
Taken from the historical marker located on site,:
The garden consisted of ten acres. It was established by Oglethorpe within one month after the settlement of Georgia. Botanists were sent by the Trustees of the Colony from England to the West Indies and South America to procure plants for the garden. Vine cuttings, flax, hemp, potashes, indigo, cochineal, olives, and medicinal herbs were grown. The greatest hope was centered in the mulberry trees, essential to silk culture. In the early days of the Colony, Queen Caroline was clothed in Georgia silk, and the town’s largest structure was the filature.
The silk and wine industries failed to materialize. The distant sponsors were unable to judge of the immense importance of the experiments conducted in other products. In 1755 the site was developed as a residential section.
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Person
When you think of mobster history in America, you think of New York, Chicago, Las Vegas, Miami, maybe Hot Springs Arkansas, a popular mob retreat, but sleepy little Tampa, known as the cigar making capital for its many Ybor City factories, employing many Cuban and Italian immigrants.
One of the most famous and powerful mobsters to call Tampa home was Santo (Sam) Trafficante Sr (1886-1954). Immigrating to the US at 15, he immediately took a train to Tampa which had a large Sicilian population, many from his hometown. When Prohibition went into effect, Tampa became a major nexus for smuggling alcohol and ingredients because of its proximity to Cuba and the Caribbean, and Trafficante was in in the ground floor, and, by the early 1930s, he was a key figure in bootlegging and illegal gambling in Tampa. In the 1930s, the "Era of Blood," mob leaders vied for dominance, bribing police and city officials and eliminating rivals with sawed - off shotguns. Trafficante moved into the power vacuum by 1940 or so, rising to the top. In the 40s, he added drug smuggling to his portfolio, and power and money flowed in his direction. He died in 1954 of stomach cancer, a rare death by illness in his line of work, and operations were turned over to his son Santo Jr.
For more in this little known theater of mob history, read Scott Deitche's book, Cigar City Mafia. If you're in Tampa in the fall, winter, or spring, check out Tampa Mafia tours for walking tours of Ybor City, and you can meet Scott or his business partners and learn more.
When you think of mobster history in America, you think of New York, Chicago, Las Vegas, Miami, maybe Hot Springs Arkansas, a popular mob retreat, but sleepy little Tampa, known as the cigar making capital for its many Ybor City factories, employing many Cuban and Italian immigrants.
One of the most famous and powerful mobsters to call Tampa home was Santo (Sam) Trafficante Sr (1886-1954). Immigrating to the US at 15, he immediately took a train to Tampa which had a large Sicilian population, many from his hometown. When Prohibition went into effect, Tampa became a major nexus for smuggling alcohol and ingredients because of its proximity to Cuba and the Caribbean, and Trafficante was in in the ground floor, and, by the early 1930s, he was a key figure in bootlegging and illegal gambling in Tampa. In the 1930s, the "Era of Blood," mob leaders vied for dominance, bribing police and city officials and eliminating rivals with sawed - off shotguns. Trafficante moved into the power vacuum by 1940 or so, rising to the top. In the 40s, he added drug smuggling to his portfolio, and power and money flowed in his direction. He died in 1954 of stomach cancer, a rare death by illness in his line of work, and operations were turned over to his son Santo Jr.
For more in this little known theater of mob history, read Scott Deitche's book, Cigar City Mafia. If you're in Tampa in the fall, winter, or spring, check out Tampa Mafia tours for walking tours of Ybor City, and you can meet Scott or his business partners and learn more.
Place.
If you ever spend time in Tampa, a must-eat restaurant is the original Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City. Not only us it delicious, but it is the oldest restaurant in Florida, established in 1905, the oldest Spanish restaurant in the US, and the largest Spanish restaurant in the world with 1,700 seats and 15 dining rooms.
For Santo Trafficante Sr and Jr, two of the biggest mob bosses in America, it was a favorite meeting place. That means it was also frequented by many other mob and law enforcement figures.
For more on this little known theater of mob history, read Scott Deitche's book, Cigar City Mafia. If you're in Tampa in the fall, winter, or spring, check out Tampa Mafia tours for walking tours of Ybor City, and you can meet Scott or his business partners and learn more.
If you ever spend time in Tampa, a must-eat restaurant is the original Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City. Not only us it delicious, but it is the oldest restaurant in Florida, established in 1905, the oldest Spanish restaurant in the US, and the largest Spanish restaurant in the world with 1,700 seats and 15 dining rooms.
For Santo Trafficante Sr and Jr, two of the biggest mob bosses in America, it was a favorite meeting place. That means it was also frequented by many other mob and law enforcement figures.
For more on this little known theater of mob history, read Scott Deitche's book, Cigar City Mafia. If you're in Tampa in the fall, winter, or spring, check out Tampa Mafia tours for walking tours of Ybor City, and you can meet Scott or his business partners and learn more.
Thing.
The biggest illegal game of chance played in Tampa/Ybor City that made a lot of mobsters a lot of money was bolita.
Bolita (Spanish for Little Ball) is a type of lottery which was popular in the latter 19th and early 20th centuries in Cuba and among Florida's working class Hispanic, Italian, and black population. In the basic bolita game, 100 small numbered balls are placed into a bag and mixed thoroughly, and bets are taken on which number will be drawn. Many variations on this theme were created. Bets were typically very small and sometimes sold well in advance, and the game could be rigged, by having extra balls of a given number or not including others at all. Other means of cheating included having certain balls filled with lead so they would sink to the bottom of the bag, or putting certain balls in ice beforehand so they would be cold and therefore easy for the selector to find by touch. Over time, Hispanics developed a name for each number in a system called La Charada or Las Charadas, creating a superstitious method for interpreting game outcomes or placing bets, many times in accordance with one's dreams the previous night.
From Wikipedia
The biggest illegal game of chance played in Tampa/Ybor City that made a lot of mobsters a lot of money was bolita.
Bolita (Spanish for Little Ball) is a type of lottery which was popular in the latter 19th and early 20th centuries in Cuba and among Florida's working class Hispanic, Italian, and black population. In the basic bolita game, 100 small numbered balls are placed into a bag and mixed thoroughly, and bets are taken on which number will be drawn. Many variations on this theme were created. Bets were typically very small and sometimes sold well in advance, and the game could be rigged, by having extra balls of a given number or not including others at all. Other means of cheating included having certain balls filled with lead so they would sink to the bottom of the bag, or putting certain balls in ice beforehand so they would be cold and therefore easy for the selector to find by touch. Over time, Hispanics developed a name for each number in a system called La Charada or Las Charadas, creating a superstitious method for interpreting game outcomes or placing bets, many times in accordance with one's dreams the previous night.
From Wikipedia
Person
On June 11, 1770, English Captain James Cook "discovered" Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Cook (1728-1779) is most famous for his three major Pacific voyages between 1768 and 1779, "discovering" and mapping Hawaii, Australia, and New Zealand, He was an expert cartographer who made a huge contribution to shipping.
In 1779, a dispute arise on the island of Hawaii when one of his men was seized after the ship's crew had taken wood from a burial ground, violating a taboo. Cook them attempted to kidnap the king and effect a trade. Cook was killed in the ensuing battle.
The late great Tony Horwitz retraces the life and voyages of Cook in Blue Latitudes.
On June 11, 1770, English Captain James Cook "discovered" Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Cook (1728-1779) is most famous for his three major Pacific voyages between 1768 and 1779, "discovering" and mapping Hawaii, Australia, and New Zealand, He was an expert cartographer who made a huge contribution to shipping.
In 1779, a dispute arise on the island of Hawaii when one of his men was seized after the ship's crew had taken wood from a burial ground, violating a taboo. Cook them attempted to kidnap the king and effect a trade. Cook was killed in the ensuing battle.
The late great Tony Horwitz retraces the life and voyages of Cook in Blue Latitudes.
Place.
Of course today, the mention of Captain James Cook is always wrapped up in the "colonizer" "imperialist" argument, but one cannot deny his incredible contribution to European cartography and knowledge of the world. When he set off for the Pacific in 1768, one third of the globe was blank. By the time of his death in 1779, the map of the world was substantially complete.
Of course today, the mention of Captain James Cook is always wrapped up in the "colonizer" "imperialist" argument, but one cannot deny his incredible contribution to European cartography and knowledge of the world. When he set off for the Pacific in 1768, one third of the globe was blank. By the time of his death in 1779, the map of the world was substantially complete.
Thing.
After 22 years of searching, Australian underwater archaeologists announced a few months ago that they had discovered the wreckage of Captain James Cook's most famous ship, the Endeavour, which he commanded in Pacific voyages from 1768 to 1771. The spot was off the coast of Rhode Island.
How did it get there? In 1775, it was sold and renamed. During the American Revolution, it served as a British prison ship, holding American rebels. In 1778, it was intentionally scuttled (sunk) along with four other ships in order to blockade Narragansett Bay.
But wait, there's more! The Australians are convinced that it is the Endeavour, but their Rhode Island partners have said publicly that it is still too early to make a positive identification. Stay tuned.
After 22 years of searching, Australian underwater archaeologists announced a few months ago that they had discovered the wreckage of Captain James Cook's most famous ship, the Endeavour, which he commanded in Pacific voyages from 1768 to 1771. The spot was off the coast of Rhode Island.
How did it get there? In 1775, it was sold and renamed. During the American Revolution, it served as a British prison ship, holding American rebels. In 1778, it was intentionally scuttled (sunk) along with four other ships in order to blockade Narragansett Bay.
But wait, there's more! The Australians are convinced that it is the Endeavour, but their Rhode Island partners have said publicly that it is still too early to make a positive identification. Stay tuned.
Person.
On June 12, 1917, the US Secret Service extended its protection to the President's family.
The most famous Secret Service agent is probably Clint Hill ( born 1932). You've likely seen him. He's the agent who jumped onto the back of JFK's car after the shots were fired in Dallas on November 22, 1963, seen clearly in the famous Zapruder film. He leapt from the car behind the presidential car, shoved Mrs. Kennedy back to her seat and covered their bodies with his while the car sped to the hospital.
Hill has co-written several books about his service under five US Presidents: Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, and Ford. Born in North Dakota, Hill graduated college with a history degree and then served as an Army Counterintelligence Special Agent. He joined the Secret Service in 1957.
Five Presidents is great inside look at the relationship between Secret Service agents and the people they protect. Hill's other books go into more detail about his specific service for Jackie Kennedy and about the assassination.
On June 12, 1917, the US Secret Service extended its protection to the President's family.
The most famous Secret Service agent is probably Clint Hill ( born 1932). You've likely seen him. He's the agent who jumped onto the back of JFK's car after the shots were fired in Dallas on November 22, 1963, seen clearly in the famous Zapruder film. He leapt from the car behind the presidential car, shoved Mrs. Kennedy back to her seat and covered their bodies with his while the car sped to the hospital.
Hill has co-written several books about his service under five US Presidents: Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, and Ford. Born in North Dakota, Hill graduated college with a history degree and then served as an Army Counterintelligence Special Agent. He joined the Secret Service in 1957.
Five Presidents is great inside look at the relationship between Secret Service agents and the people they protect. Hill's other books go into more detail about his specific service for Jackie Kennedy and about the assassination.
Person.
On June 12, 1917, the US Secret Service extended its protection to the President's family.
I'm deviating from my usual "person place and thing" format today to recommend another former Secret Service agent's book. Rufus Youngblood (1924-1996) wrote 20 Years in the Secret Service: My Life With Five Presidents. Youngblood served Truman through Nixon, and he and Clint Hill worked together for years. On November 22, 1963, while Hill jumped into the Presidential car, Youngblood shielded Vice-President Johnson in his car.
Youngblood was born in Macon Georgia, and he served as a gunner during WWII, in the 91st bomb group 324 bomb squadron. After the war, he earned an electrical engineering degree at Georgia Tech. He joined the Secret Service in 1951, initially working in financial fraud investigation in the Atlanta office before joining the White House security detail in 1953. In 1965, he actually became Clint Hill's supervisor and eventually deputy director before retiring. In retirement, he lived in Savannah Georgia, where he sold real estate and became a master gardener.
Both books, Hill's and Youngblood's, offer inside accounts of the Presidents and the events during their careers, along with interesting accounts that reveal the true personalities of the Presidents. They spent more time with the Presidents and their families than just about anyone else.
On June 12, 1917, the US Secret Service extended its protection to the President's family.
I'm deviating from my usual "person place and thing" format today to recommend another former Secret Service agent's book. Rufus Youngblood (1924-1996) wrote 20 Years in the Secret Service: My Life With Five Presidents. Youngblood served Truman through Nixon, and he and Clint Hill worked together for years. On November 22, 1963, while Hill jumped into the Presidential car, Youngblood shielded Vice-President Johnson in his car.
Youngblood was born in Macon Georgia, and he served as a gunner during WWII, in the 91st bomb group 324 bomb squadron. After the war, he earned an electrical engineering degree at Georgia Tech. He joined the Secret Service in 1951, initially working in financial fraud investigation in the Atlanta office before joining the White House security detail in 1953. In 1965, he actually became Clint Hill's supervisor and eventually deputy director before retiring. In retirement, he lived in Savannah Georgia, where he sold real estate and became a master gardener.
Both books, Hill's and Youngblood's, offer inside accounts of the Presidents and the events during their careers, along with interesting accounts that reveal the true personalities of the Presidents. They spent more time with the Presidents and their families than just about anyone else.
Thing.
The United States Secret Service was established in July 5, 1865 as a unit of the Department of Treasury with the primary function of suppressing counterfeit money. There were few federal law enforcement agencies at the time, so the Secret Service began investigating a wide range of federal crimes including murder, bank robbery, and illegal gambling.
The Secret Service didn't start protecting the president until after William McKinley was assassinated in 1901. The agency was also the first US domestic intelligence agency, but these powers were transferred to the FBI when it was created in 1908.
In 2003, the Secret Service was removed from the Treasury Department and placed under the umbrella of the Department of Homeland Security. Today, it's jurisdiction includes presidential protection, counterfeiting, banking an financial crimes, and cybercrime.
The United States Secret Service was established in July 5, 1865 as a unit of the Department of Treasury with the primary function of suppressing counterfeit money. There were few federal law enforcement agencies at the time, so the Secret Service began investigating a wide range of federal crimes including murder, bank robbery, and illegal gambling.
The Secret Service didn't start protecting the president until after William McKinley was assassinated in 1901. The agency was also the first US domestic intelligence agency, but these powers were transferred to the FBI when it was created in 1908.
In 2003, the Secret Service was removed from the Treasury Department and placed under the umbrella of the Department of Homeland Security. Today, it's jurisdiction includes presidential protection, counterfeiting, banking an financial crimes, and cybercrime.
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Person.
On June 13, 1777, Gilbert Du Motier, the Marquis de Lafayette, a 19-year old French aristocrat, arrived in Georgetown South Carolina.
Lafayette (1757-1834) descended from a long line of ancestors, on both sides, well known in France for their courage and military prowess,candy he did not disappoint. At 11, he was enrolled in a program in Paris to train as a Musketeer. At 12, he was orphaned and inherited a fortune when his mother, grandfather, and uncle died. (His father was killed in battle in 1759.) At 13, he was commissioned an officer in the Musketeers, but his role was largely ceremonial, and he continued his education.
When the American Revolution started, Lafayette became a believer in the American cause (maybe partially motivated by the fact that his father had been killed by the British). While some colonial representatives were in Europe recruiting European officers, King Louis XVI favored neutrality and issued a decree forbidding French officers from serving. Lafayette used his inheritance to purchase a ship and 5,000 rifles with ammunition, and he sailed for America.
When he arrived, he found that he was just one of dozens of French officers looking for adventure. Armed with a letter of introduction from Benjamin Franklin, his ability to speak a little English, and a refusal to take pay, he stood out. When he met George Washington, the pair bonded immediately, surrogate father and son. Lafayette went on to be one of Washington's most trusted, commanding colonial armies.
When he returned to France, he found himself in the midst of the French Revolution and the wars that followed. In 1824, he was invited by President Monroe to make a US tour, as one of the last surviving greatest heroes of the Revolution. For over a year, he traveled the entire country, cheered and adored in every village, town, and city.
Essayist and commentator Sarah Vowell's most recent book Lafayette in the Somewhat United States is about the man and his American tour. Also, check out @thelafayettetrail
On June 13, 1777, Gilbert Du Motier, the Marquis de Lafayette, a 19-year old French aristocrat, arrived in Georgetown South Carolina.
Lafayette (1757-1834) descended from a long line of ancestors, on both sides, well known in France for their courage and military prowess,candy he did not disappoint. At 11, he was enrolled in a program in Paris to train as a Musketeer. At 12, he was orphaned and inherited a fortune when his mother, grandfather, and uncle died. (His father was killed in battle in 1759.) At 13, he was commissioned an officer in the Musketeers, but his role was largely ceremonial, and he continued his education.
When the American Revolution started, Lafayette became a believer in the American cause (maybe partially motivated by the fact that his father had been killed by the British). While some colonial representatives were in Europe recruiting European officers, King Louis XVI favored neutrality and issued a decree forbidding French officers from serving. Lafayette used his inheritance to purchase a ship and 5,000 rifles with ammunition, and he sailed for America.
When he arrived, he found that he was just one of dozens of French officers looking for adventure. Armed with a letter of introduction from Benjamin Franklin, his ability to speak a little English, and a refusal to take pay, he stood out. When he met George Washington, the pair bonded immediately, surrogate father and son. Lafayette went on to be one of Washington's most trusted, commanding colonial armies.
When he returned to France, he found himself in the midst of the French Revolution and the wars that followed. In 1824, he was invited by President Monroe to make a US tour, as one of the last surviving greatest heroes of the Revolution. For over a year, he traveled the entire country, cheered and adored in every village, town, and city.
Essayist and commentator Sarah Vowell's most recent book Lafayette in the Somewhat United States is about the man and his American tour. Also, check out @thelafayettetrail
Place.
What we now call, and revere, as Independence Hall in Philadelphia may very well owe its existence today to the Marquis de Lafayette. When the great hero made his triumphant visit to America in 1824 and 1825, the cities of Boston, Philadelphia, and New York fought tooth and nail to out-do each other in their receptions for him. The Old State House, now known as Independence Hall, had fallen into a state of disrepair, headed toward dilapidation, and Americans had almost no sense of historic preservation then. Fortunately, Philadelphia's civic leaders determined that it was the only place big enough to host a proper reception, and they spent a lot of money on renovations.
What we now call, and revere, as Independence Hall in Philadelphia may very well owe its existence today to the Marquis de Lafayette. When the great hero made his triumphant visit to America in 1824 and 1825, the cities of Boston, Philadelphia, and New York fought tooth and nail to out-do each other in their receptions for him. The Old State House, now known as Independence Hall, had fallen into a state of disrepair, headed toward dilapidation, and Americans had almost no sense of historic preservation then. Fortunately, Philadelphia's civic leaders determined that it was the only place big enough to host a proper reception, and they spent a lot of money on renovations.
Thing.
The Marquis de Lafayette had two life masks made during his lifetime, one at age 28, and another at age 68 in New York. These pictures show the life masks and facial reconstructions made from them.
The Marquis de Lafayette had two life masks made during his lifetime, one at age 28, and another at age 68 in New York. These pictures show the life masks and facial reconstructions made from them.
Persons.
On June 14, 1942, Anne Frank began writing her diary which would become perhaps the most famous diary in world history. (And the alleged source of many fake quotes that get passed around on social media. For example, the one about a candle defying and defining darkness - never appears anywhere in the diary.)
There are two women who made her fame possible. Miep Gies (1909-2010) was an Austrian-Dutch woman who worked for Anne Frank's father as an accountant and secretary for the Dutch branch of the German spice company, Opekta. With her husband and a few other employees, she hid and cared for the Frank family and the others in the Annex for two years, 1942-1944, providing food and other necessities. She and her husband also hid a wanted anti-Nazi university student in their own apartment. After the Frank party was captured, she collected the diary and other documents left behind and held them until Otto Frank, the only survivor, returned after the war.
The other woman responsible for the publication was Judith Jones (1924-2017), an author and senior editor at Alfred A. Knopf Books; she was an icon in the publishing world who worked with many of the top novelists of the 1950s and 1960s and all the big names in the cookbook world, James Beard, Edna Lewis, Lidia Bastianich, Jacques Pepin, and Julia Child.
Jones first worked at Doubleday in the Paris office where part of her job included selecting French books for publication in the US. One day, she happened to be going through a pile of material that had already been rejected by her office mates, and she came across a French version of the Diary, read it, and fought to convince her superiors to publish it in the US.
As of 2019, Diary of a Young Girl had sold more than 30 million copies and had been translated into 70 languages.
On June 14, 1942, Anne Frank began writing her diary which would become perhaps the most famous diary in world history. (And the alleged source of many fake quotes that get passed around on social media. For example, the one about a candle defying and defining darkness - never appears anywhere in the diary.)
There are two women who made her fame possible. Miep Gies (1909-2010) was an Austrian-Dutch woman who worked for Anne Frank's father as an accountant and secretary for the Dutch branch of the German spice company, Opekta. With her husband and a few other employees, she hid and cared for the Frank family and the others in the Annex for two years, 1942-1944, providing food and other necessities. She and her husband also hid a wanted anti-Nazi university student in their own apartment. After the Frank party was captured, she collected the diary and other documents left behind and held them until Otto Frank, the only survivor, returned after the war.
The other woman responsible for the publication was Judith Jones (1924-2017), an author and senior editor at Alfred A. Knopf Books; she was an icon in the publishing world who worked with many of the top novelists of the 1950s and 1960s and all the big names in the cookbook world, James Beard, Edna Lewis, Lidia Bastianich, Jacques Pepin, and Julia Child.
Jones first worked at Doubleday in the Paris office where part of her job included selecting French books for publication in the US. One day, she happened to be going through a pile of material that had already been rejected by her office mates, and she came across a French version of the Diary, read it, and fought to convince her superiors to publish it in the US.
As of 2019, Diary of a Young Girl had sold more than 30 million copies and had been translated into 70 languages.
Place.
On June 14, 1942, Anne Frank began writing her diary which would become perhaps the most famous diary in world history. (And the alleged source of many fake quotes that get passed around on social media. For example, the one about a candle defying and defining darkness - never appears anywhere in the diary.)
For just over two years, the Frank family of four, the three Van Pels family members, and Fritz Pfeffer lived hidden in several small upstairs rooms in the Amsterdam office building of Opekta, the spice company that Otto Frank worked for. The entrance to the secret annex was hidden behind a revolving bookcase.
Friend Miep Gies and a couple of other employees delivered food until the morning of August 4, 1944 when German police arrested the group after being tipped off. A very recent investigation and book claims to identify the informant, but the investigation's verdict has been widely rejected so far.
Only Otto Frank survived the war.
On June 14, 1942, Anne Frank began writing her diary which would become perhaps the most famous diary in world history. (And the alleged source of many fake quotes that get passed around on social media. For example, the one about a candle defying and defining darkness - never appears anywhere in the diary.)
For just over two years, the Frank family of four, the three Van Pels family members, and Fritz Pfeffer lived hidden in several small upstairs rooms in the Amsterdam office building of Opekta, the spice company that Otto Frank worked for. The entrance to the secret annex was hidden behind a revolving bookcase.
Friend Miep Gies and a couple of other employees delivered food until the morning of August 4, 1944 when German police arrested the group after being tipped off. A very recent investigation and book claims to identify the informant, but the investigation's verdict has been widely rejected so far.
Only Otto Frank survived the war.
Thing.
On June 14, 1942, Anne Frank began writing her diary which would become perhaps the most famous diary in world history. (And the alleged source of many fake quotes that get passed around on social media. For example, the one about a candle defying and defining darkness - never appears anywhere in the diary.)
The "Thing" for this post is propaganda. Years ago, I remember watching a 60 Minutes report on the use of The Diary of a Young Girl in North Korean classrooms. The book was required reading in the early 2000s ( not sure about current status, but you can search for stories about Anne Frank in North Korea). A Dutch tv documentarian heard about this story and was given hard-to-get permission to enter the country and do a report for Dutch TV. She was shocked by what she found.
Student after student was interviewed, always with a teacher or government handler nearby for prompts. As they read and studied the book, they were taught that Anne Frank was not a hero, she and other Holocaust victims were weak and inferior who deserved to die. They were taught to never be that weak. They were also taught that German Nazis were the same as American Nazis, that America today was a Nazi regime planning to invade North Korea, that America is covered in concentration camps, and that President George W. Bush was the modern day Hitler.
On June 14, 1942, Anne Frank began writing her diary which would become perhaps the most famous diary in world history. (And the alleged source of many fake quotes that get passed around on social media. For example, the one about a candle defying and defining darkness - never appears anywhere in the diary.)
The "Thing" for this post is propaganda. Years ago, I remember watching a 60 Minutes report on the use of The Diary of a Young Girl in North Korean classrooms. The book was required reading in the early 2000s ( not sure about current status, but you can search for stories about Anne Frank in North Korea). A Dutch tv documentarian heard about this story and was given hard-to-get permission to enter the country and do a report for Dutch TV. She was shocked by what she found.
Student after student was interviewed, always with a teacher or government handler nearby for prompts. As they read and studied the book, they were taught that Anne Frank was not a hero, she and other Holocaust victims were weak and inferior who deserved to die. They were taught to never be that weak. They were also taught that German Nazis were the same as American Nazis, that America today was a Nazi regime planning to invade North Korea, that America is covered in concentration camps, and that President George W. Bush was the modern day Hitler.
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Person.
It all started with a bet. Maybe. That's the story, but there's no real proof that railroad magnate, philanthropist, and former governor of California Leland Stanford made a $25,000 bet on whether or not all four horse's hooves left the ground at once during a gallop. Whether it was a bet or not, it is thought that he spent $50,000 and several years to settle the question.
To do it, he hired pioneering photographic genius Eadweard Muybridge (1830-1904) to photograph his horses at gallop. Muybridge was born Edward Muggeridge in England, but he often changed his name, settling on the most difficult to spell and pronounce one, seemingly. He immigrated to the US at 20 and started a bookselling business, first in New York, then New Orleans and Sacramento. In Sacramento, he started selling landscape paintings and photos as well, although he himself didn't take up photography until the early 1860s.
He became well known for his stereographic photos (two identical photos on a single card that create a 3D image when viewed through a stereopticon) of western landscapes, earning many commissions.
In 1871, 41 year old Muybridge married 21 year old Flora Stone. They had little in common. She started an affair. He tracked down her lover in 1874 and killed him. A jury found it to be justifiable homicide. Stanford, who had paid for Muybridge's defense immediately put him to work on the horse question.
Muybridge's motion photography of animals and people pioneered motion picture technology and advanced anatomy and biology knowledge. Read Edward Ball's book for more of the story.
It all started with a bet. Maybe. That's the story, but there's no real proof that railroad magnate, philanthropist, and former governor of California Leland Stanford made a $25,000 bet on whether or not all four horse's hooves left the ground at once during a gallop. Whether it was a bet or not, it is thought that he spent $50,000 and several years to settle the question.
To do it, he hired pioneering photographic genius Eadweard Muybridge (1830-1904) to photograph his horses at gallop. Muybridge was born Edward Muggeridge in England, but he often changed his name, settling on the most difficult to spell and pronounce one, seemingly. He immigrated to the US at 20 and started a bookselling business, first in New York, then New Orleans and Sacramento. In Sacramento, he started selling landscape paintings and photos as well, although he himself didn't take up photography until the early 1860s.
He became well known for his stereographic photos (two identical photos on a single card that create a 3D image when viewed through a stereopticon) of western landscapes, earning many commissions.
In 1871, 41 year old Muybridge married 21 year old Flora Stone. They had little in common. She started an affair. He tracked down her lover in 1874 and killed him. A jury found it to be justifiable homicide. Stanford, who had paid for Muybridge's defense immediately put him to work on the horse question.
Muybridge's motion photography of animals and people pioneered motion picture technology and advanced anatomy and biology knowledge. Read Edward Ball's book for more of the story.
Place.
In July 1860, Eadweard Muybridge's life changed forever when he suffered a head injury in a violent runaway stagecoach crash at the Texas border that killed the driver and one passenger. Muybridge was ejected from the coach and hit his head on a rock. He woke up days later in a Fort Smith Arkansas hospital, with no memory of the immediate events before the crash. He suffered from bad headaches,double vision, deafness, loss of taste and smell, and confusion. His hair turned from brown to gray in three days. These symptoms persisted for up to a year, and he spent the next few years seeking treatment from the best doctors in the US and the UK, including Queen Victoria's personal physician.
His friends all saw major personality changes, eccentric new behaviors, and an uninhibited creativity. Several expert witnesses presented evidence and testimony of his mental health during his murder trial, and historians and forensic neurologists still study trial transcripts for glimpses into his mental condition.
Muybridge's motion photography of animals and people pioneered motion picture technology and advanced anatomy and biology knowledge. Read Edward Ball's book for more of the story.
In July 1860, Eadweard Muybridge's life changed forever when he suffered a head injury in a violent runaway stagecoach crash at the Texas border that killed the driver and one passenger. Muybridge was ejected from the coach and hit his head on a rock. He woke up days later in a Fort Smith Arkansas hospital, with no memory of the immediate events before the crash. He suffered from bad headaches,double vision, deafness, loss of taste and smell, and confusion. His hair turned from brown to gray in three days. These symptoms persisted for up to a year, and he spent the next few years seeking treatment from the best doctors in the US and the UK, including Queen Victoria's personal physician.
His friends all saw major personality changes, eccentric new behaviors, and an uninhibited creativity. Several expert witnesses presented evidence and testimony of his mental health during his murder trial, and historians and forensic neurologists still study trial transcripts for glimpses into his mental condition.
Muybridge's motion photography of animals and people pioneered motion picture technology and advanced anatomy and biology knowledge. Read Edward Ball's book for more of the story.
Things.
Beginning in 1883, when he was a guest lecturer - invited by artist Thomas Eakins - at the University of Pennsylvania, he made over 100,000 photos of people, mostly Penn students, and animals in motion using a bank of 12 cameras to capture the action. He also invented a special projector he called a zoopraxiscope that allowed him to project the images in motion, leading to the development of motion picture technology.
There are many books of his photos and many pages of photos online.
Beginning in 1883, when he was a guest lecturer - invited by artist Thomas Eakins - at the University of Pennsylvania, he made over 100,000 photos of people, mostly Penn students, and animals in motion using a bank of 12 cameras to capture the action. He also invented a special projector he called a zoopraxiscope that allowed him to project the images in motion, leading to the development of motion picture technology.
There are many books of his photos and many pages of photos online.
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